諸經要集 17.47

17.47

第一據實有損者。依經食肉之人有十種過失。第一明一切眾生無始已來。皆是己親不合食肉。故入楞伽經云。我觀眾生輪迴五道。同在生死共相生育。遞為父母兄弟姊妹。若男若女。中表內外六親眷屬。或生餘道。善道惡道常為眷屬。以是因緣我觀眾生。更相噉肉無非親者。由食肉味遞互相噉。常生害心增長苦業。流轉生死不得出離。佛說是時。諸惡羅剎聞佛所說。悉捨惡心止不食肉。遞相勸發菩薩之心。護眾生命亦自護身。離一切諸肉不食。悲泣流淚白言。世尊。我聞佛說諦觀六道。我所噉肉皆是我親。乃知食肉眾生是我大怨。斷大慈種長不善業。是大苦本。我從今日斷不食肉。及我眷屬亦不聽食。如來弟子有不食者。我當晝夜親近擁護。若食肉者。我當與作大不饒益。大慧。羅剎惡鬼常食肉者。聞我所說。尚發慈心捨肉不食。況我弟子行善法者。當聽食肉。若食肉者。當知即是眾生大怨。斷我聖種。大慧。若我弟子聞我所說。不諦觀察而食肉者。當知即是旃陀羅種。非我弟子。我非其師。

First, regarding the actual harm: according to the sūtras, a person who eats meat has ten kinds of faults. First, explaining that all sentient beings since beginningless time have all been one's own relatives, so it is improper to eat meat. Thus the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra says: "I observe that sentient beings transmigrate in the five destinies, together in saṃsāra giving birth to one another, mutually becoming parents, brothers, and sisters, whether male or female, maternal and paternal, inner and outer relatives and kin; or born in other destinies, whether good destinies or evil destinies, always becoming kin. Due to these causes and conditions, I observe sentient beings: in mutually devouring flesh, there are none who are not relatives. From savoring the taste of meat, they devour one another in turn, constantly giving rise to harmful thoughts, increasing painful karma, drifting in saṃsāra without being able to escape. When the Buddha spoke this, all the evil rākṣasas, hearing what the Buddha said, all abandoned their evil minds, ceased and did not eat meat, and mutually exhorted one another to generate the mind of a bodhisattva, protecting the life of sentient beings and also protecting themselves, shunning all meat and not eating it. Weeping tears of grief, they addressed the Buddha, saying: 'World-Honoured One, having heard the Buddha's explanation, we closely observe the six destinies: the meat we have eaten is entirely our relatives. We now know that meat-eating sentient beings are our great enemies, severing the seed of great maitrī, increasing unwholesome karma, being the root of great suffering. From this day forward, we abstain and do not eat meat, and our kin will likewise not be permitted to eat it. If there are disciples of the Tathāgata who do not eat meat, we shall day and night approach and protect them; if they eat meat, we shall bring great harm to them.' Mahāmati! When the evil rākṣasa ghosts who constantly eat meat heard what I said, they still generated the mind of maitrī and abandoned meat without eating it; how much less should my disciples who practice wholesome dharmas be permitted to eat meat! If one eats meat, know that he is indeed the great enemy of sentient beings, severing my noble lineage. Mahāmati! If my disciples, hearing what I have said, do not closely observe it and eat meat, know that they are indeed of the caṇḍāla lineage, not my disciples, and I am not their teacher."